A rotten Christmas apple
by AmadErik
Summary: Kay based story of Erik's childhood Christmas with his mother, Madeleine.


24 December, 1835

It was a Christmas similar to the others I remember from my childhood. Nothing special at the beginning, only the fact that my mother baked and cooked so much again that we could have called the whole village to eat with us, even though the whole village hated us. I never understood my mother, why on Earth she has to cook so much for Christmas. I loathed to eat and we only expected Mari Perrault to visit the next day. I did not really give much thought about the all fuss around Christmas Eve and Christmas. I knew that it will go away just like every year, and I rather focused on playing Scarlatti and Mozart sonatas.

- Erik. - my mother opened the salon's door after some time has passed. - Go upstairs and get dressed correctly.

- Why the fuss when it is only the two of us? - I asked impatiently because she ruined the most beautiful harmony I have just hit, by calling me.

- It is not about you and me, it is about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Erik, why I have to tell you this every year? - she started to lose her patience. - And you could know by now that Father Mansart will visit us after the Midnight Mass so we can celebrate as well.

That part sure sounded better, Father Mansart allowed me accompany him while he was singing. It was the first year I got such a big opportunity. It made me so excited, I felt myself a clever boy for this. I did even mind that I had to wear formal clothes for it. I stood up from the piano and ran after Mother, who had already left the room.

- When will Father Mansart come at last? - I asked, running downstairs in my finest evening suite.

- Erik, you act like it was your first Christmas ever. - my mother let out an annoyed sigh - you know well that at first we have dinner. We do it like this for 4 years, since you were born.

- Dinner? - I sighed and moaned in frustration. I, of course knew it well what happens after I get dressed, but I stubbornly asked Mother every year, hoping to hear another answer once. I didn't like dinner at all. Not necessarily for the fact I hated to eat, but because of the awkward silence between me and my Mother while we had this annoying yearly ritual. We did not have much things to talk about. I always felt her being distant towards me and we were never so close. I felt we were both just actors, playing a role of a family eating together for Christmas. Even Sasha wore a ridiculous red ribbon around her neck for Christmas. Everything looked so all right and so beautiful, the all house was decorated, everyone was dressed correctly... but Mother only took care of the outside, about how everything looks like. We both knew it was an apple that was nice in the outside, but rotten, full of worms in the inside.

- Yes. Dinner. You know Erik, the meal we eat in the evening, containing soup and...

- Fish.

- Yes, fish. Do you have some problem with it? - she asked with growing displeasure.

- I hate fish. It stinks.

- Erik, I don't let you talk like this about my cooking. We have fish as we do every Christmas, you will eat it and you will like it.

I did not say anything else, I knew it was not a clever thing to make Mother angry at that moment. I did not want her to slap me, so I did not try to go on her nerves any more that evening. Maybe even that could have happened that she gives me the punishment I can forget about the mass with Father Mansart, and I was scared of the mere thought of such a strict punishment, so I tried to be a good boy. We ate and I was silently waiting Father Mansart to come at least. My mother gave me the Bible and ordered me to read it loud while she was praying in her mind. I was reading for a time, but after I got tired of it and slammed it with a little bit of bigger force than I should have.

- How dare you, little brat? - mother asked with fury

- I'm tired of reading. What's the time?

- Go to your room, I will call you when Father Mansart comes. - she said with an annoyed tone in her voice. I went to my room and lay down for a bit and with time, I fell asleep while waiting, and I only woke up to Sasha's barking.

- Father Mansart came! - I jumped up, I ran to the door and pushed it, but it was locked. My mother always closed the door for bedtime when she did not want me to go downstairs any more. I figured out it was some time around dawn or in the morning. I sat down on my bed and started sobbing. So my Mother did not call me downstairs to meet Father Mansart and to sing with him, the first time in my life. I was so sad that I could have cried all day long... my mother killed and ruined my Christmas.

- Erik - my mother unlocked the door to my room and opened it - Come down, Mlle Perrault will come shortly. What are you whining about again? - she asked impatiently upon seeing my tears.

- You did not call me...

- I did not. You fell asleep. You should learn self control, Erik. If you can't stay awake long enough to wait for Father Mansart, you are not allowed to treat yourself with the pleasure of Christmas Mass. Maybe next year you can try.

I was so hurt, disappointed and frustrated that I couldn't control my temper, and I threw a ridiculous china doll my mother praised so much. I walked downstairs and I just threw that ugly thing off of the mantelpiece. My Mother wanted to beat me and send me back to my room, but just at that moment we heard a knock on the door.

- That must be Mlle Perrault, we will talk about this later and you get what you deserve.

I opened the door for Mlle Perrault while my mother cleaned up the remainings of the china doll in the salon.

- Oh, Erik dear, what a pleasure to see you. - she forced a smile on her pale, scared face upon looking at me.

- I think we should open the gifts. - I heard my mother's voice from the salon and I ran there to see what I got. At least I will get something to be happy about today. Last year I got my mother's old violin, and I was so happy about it. What could it be this time? I was so excited I nearly forgot about my sadness about the Christmas mass. My mind was excitedly racing. What could it be? An opera sheet music? But after I started thinking in a more realistic way. Maybe it is something I would need anyway, as in the last years, I got mostly clothes. I grew real fast and I needed clothes more times than an average child. She felt like giving me clothes was the best choice. Like that I have gifts and I have clothes too.

I opened the box with a great excitement, thinking at the contains of the box until the very last minute... And it wasn't at all what I expected. In the box, there lay... a new mask. Yes, a new mask. Yes, I needed it... I grew the old one out... but such an evil Christmas gift I did not expect at all. I bursted out in tears and ran upstairs to my room.

I heard Mlle Perrault's compassionate voice in the background as I left

- Madeleine... how could you...?


End file.
